Subterfuge
by wideopeneyes
Summary: Gippal finds out from Nooj that maybe Rikku doesn't think their relationship is as serious as he does. Written as a birthday fic for Mandyiam.


"A date? What do you mean, _she's on a date_?" 

"Exactly that, as it turns out," Nooj said, watching with amusement as Gippal downed the rest of his beer in one long gulp. "She met some guy in Kilika last time she was there. He's taking her into Luca for dinner. You probably shouldn't wait up for her." He couldn't resist goading Gippal a little. "She said she'd _be back late_."

"Oh, god." Gippal moved on to Nooj's beer. "I don't understand. Just yesterday we were –" he broke off abruptly. Nooj probably didn't want to hear about their sensual exploits in the workshop. Or the hall closet. Or the kitchen. He probably wasn't all that interested in hearing about the infirmary, either. He sighed. "I don't understand," he concluded finally.

"She's a woman. It's not like they're the easiest of creatures to understand," Nooj concurred. "I have had more enlightening and less confusing conversations with things that were trying to kill me."

"Yeah, well, allow me to point out that the categories of _women _and _things that are trying to kill you _are not mutually exclusive," Gippal remarked snidely. "Remember when Leblanc finally figured out you just weren't that into her?"

"How could I forget?" Nooj winced. "I almost lost my other leg. And other, more important bits."

Gippal 'tsk'ed sympathetically. "What am I going to do about Rikku?" He asked. "I thought we were exclusive, you know? Contrary to what seems to be popular belief, I try to refrain from sticking my tongue down the throat of anyone I am not currently dating."

"Did _she _know you two were exclusive?"

"Huh?"

"If you didn't ask her, if you didn't introduce her to people as your girlfriend, or significant other, or whatever, chances are she didn't know that was how you thought of her," Nooj observed.

"So what am I supposed to do about it?" Gippal looked nothing if not completely flummoxed.

"Idiot." Nooj rolled his eyes. "To get the girl, first you've got to _get the girl_. If you want her, go after her, genius."

---

It hadn't taken all that long for Gippal to track them down, for which he was thankful. He wasn't foolish enough to make a public scene in front of Rikku – that would likely earn him a bloody and/or broken nose, and broken bones were not usually conducive to romance.

So he waited to corner the man in the bathroom, just after the appetizers had been served.

"Hey," he said. "I'm Gippal. I believe you're on a date with my girl."

"Who, Rikku? She said she wasn't seeing anyone." The man dried his hands, giving Gippal the once-over.

While Gippal had been inclined to dislike the man purely on principal, he _really _disliked the insolent manner with which the man surveyed him.

"She was wrong," Gippal said. "She's dating me. We're very happy together."

The man raised an eyebrow. "If she's seeing other people, I wouldn't think she's all that happy."

"She doesn't exactly _know _we're dating, yet," Gippal clarified. "But she will. It's too bad you have to leave so suddenly. But don't worry," he said, grinning. "I'll be more than happy to take over for you. I hear the food here is great."

"I'm not leaving." The man's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Oh, but you are." Gippal pushed open the small window, and then grabbed a fistful of the smaller man's tee-shirt. "Don't hurt yourself on your way out."

"Hey! You can't do this!"

Gippal ignored the man's angry flailing, hefting him up and shoving him unceremoniously out the window. There was a surprised shout, then the sound of a minor scuffle before all went quiet.

"You got him?" Gippal called out the window.

"We got him, boss," a voice responded. "He'll be on the first ship out. Take him at least a day to get back."

"Excellent." Gippal rubbed his hands together, then wiped them off on his pants. "Take the rest of the week off. Paid leave."

He glanced briefly in the mirror to check his appearance, then yanked the door open and made his way casually over to where Rikku was sitting.

"So," she said as he took a seat across from her. "Where's my date?" She looked like she was trying valiantly not to laugh.

"What're you talking about?" Gippal grumbled irritably. "I _am _your date."

"Ahh, I see. Well, I hope you're buying dinner, then. I could never date a guy who expected me to pay on the first date." She smoothed her napkin across her lap, smiling as the waiter set down two plates of food.

Gippal scowled down at his. "If I wasn't so hungry, I wouldn't eat this on principle. I can't _believe_ that guy eats his steak the same way I do," he said, popping a piece in his mouth.

"He doesn't," Rikku said. "He's a vegetarian."

"Then why'd he order a steak?"

"_He_ didn't. _I _did." She grinned. "I had a feeling you'd be along sooner or later."

"How'd you figure that?" He asked.

"Silly," she teased, smiling. "Who do you think sent Nooj to Djose?"


End file.
